Handled drinking bags



Feb. 11, 1964 G. M. LEONARD 3,120,918

HANDLED DRINKING BAGS Filed NOV. 3, 1961 HIHH W I l P M" ,J'im V INVENTOR.

60/9700 M Leo/7am 4 TOENEV.

United States Patent Ofilice 3,120,918 Patented Feb. 11, 1964 3,120,918 HANDLED DRENKING BAGS Gordon M. Leonard, 229 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, Mo. Filed Nov. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 149,999 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-52) This invention relates to containers for liquids and refers more particularly to foldable bags with handles thereon adapted to be used as containers for drinking liquids, hot or cold.

It is well known in the art of drinking containers to provide paper cups with handles thereon. The patent to Amberg, 2,454,906, shows a typical paper cup construction adapted to hold hot liquids, the cup constructions illustrated including a cup body blank having a handle formed integral therewith or the handle applied separately after formation of the cup. Liebenow, 2,659,527, shows a paper cup construction again alternatively formed with the handle integral with the cup body blank or separately attached thereto, the handle of different form than the Amberg patent. Kayat, 2,775,382, shows another handle attachment for a formed paper cup. Gallagher, 2,853,222, shows a paper cup having a metal foil liner to be used for hot, cold, alcoholic or other beverages. The patent to Crary, 2,682,990, shows a typical application of a carrying handle to a carton. The handle may be applied to the carton blank in flat or assembled condition.

The patent to Solis Dudnick and applicant Gordon M. Leonard, No. 2,988,967, issued June 20, 1961, Method and Apparatus for Applying Handles to Paper Cups, discloses the application of handles to paper cup blanks in web or blank form, the handles themselves in web or blank form.

It is well-known in the art to provide paper bags or bags of other flexible material having carrying handles which bridge the top of the bag or filling opening thereof. Additionally, it is known to provide product containing bags having handles positioned thereon in order to aid in emptying the contents of the bag, to afford grips to facilitate carrying of the bag, etc. The patents to Malvern et al., 1,897,910; Nick l-son, 616,249; and Converse, 733,- 542, illustrate this art.

There are many potential advantages of handled bags for drinking purposes relative to cups for same. In the first place, bags are by far the most economical package of the two. Secondly, it is well known that bag forming equipment is the fastest type of equipment in the container field. Thirdly, bags may be shipped in flat condition whereby to enjoy a very low freighting charge and require a minimum storage volume. Further, the forming equipment in the bag field is old, well-known, fast and efiicient. This equipment can handle plastic, plastic coated paper, foil lined paper and many other liquid proof materials without dhiiculty. Another advantage is that there are numerous types of bags having numerous manners of opening and closing. Bags once opened may be readily reclosed. In setup cups, it is well known that any type of lid is expensive, whether it be a lid that fits into the top of the cup, a lid that fits over the lip of the cup, or a lid that both fits into the top of the cup and over the lip thereof. Finally, a self-sealing adhesive strip may be employed on a bag to elt'ect a closure whereby to eliminate the separate closure required by cups.

An article in the Modern Packaging Encyclopedia, 1961, pages 265265, discloses four basic types of bags. The first type is described as a flat bag comprising a flat rectangular tube having a longitudinal body seam therein. A second type is referred to as the square type which employs tucks, gussets or a bellows structure in order to form a rectangular shape when open, the bottom flattening out in such condition. A third type is referred to as the automatic, this form having a built-in flat bottom with tucks. Finally, the satchel type bag has a flat body and a hexagonal shape, closed end or bottom with tucks that fold out. For the purposes of the instant invention, bags of the types: square, automatic or satchel are preferred in that they provide a flat bottomed bag when opened or folded outwardly whereby to permit setting of a filled bag on its lower end whereby to stand by itself. However, the instant invention contemplates the utilization of the hat type bag, as well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container for drinking liquids comprising a foldable bag with a handle thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convenient, cheaply manufactured, easily handled container for drinking liquids in the form of a foldable bag with a handle thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a con tainer for drinking liquids, hot or cold, with a suitable handle which is far cheaper to manufacture, ship and store than a paper cup.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foldable flat bag for containing drinking liquids which may be employed in the place of a cup or glass yet which may be handled as easily and conveniently as a cup or glass.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag for containing drinking liquids having a handle thereon which may be readily and easily disposed of.

Another object of the invention is to provide handled bags for containing drinking liquids which may be formed or made in conventional bag forming equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide drinking containers which may be shipped fiat whereby to provide low freight charges and require a minimum of storage space.

Another object of the invention is to provide drinking containers which may be formed of plastic, plastic coated paper, foil lined paper, or other foldable liquid proof materials in bag form.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drinking container for hot or cold liquids which may be sealed at the pouring opening thereof without use of a lid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drinking container for hot or cold liquids which may be sealed at the pouring opening thereof with an adhesive strip.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foldable bag drinking container having a handle thereon to be employed by the user, which handle aids in support of the bag structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foldable bag drinking container having a handle thereon for employment by the user, which handle protects the hand of the user from heat or cold.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drinking container in foldable bag form which may be dispensed in a most convenient space saving form.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drinking container in the form of a foldable bag which does not require lip reinforcement in the pouring opening Zone.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag type drinking container which may utilize any one of a variety of types of handles.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description thereof.

In the drawings, which form a part of the instant specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, embodiments of the invention are shown and, in the various views, like numerals are employed to indicate like parts.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a satchel-type paper bag, the view illustrating the bag in folded position, the satchel base on the other side of the bag from that side shown, with a gripping handle applied to the side illustrated.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the other side of the bag from that shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of PEG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a three-quarter perspective vie slightly from above, showing the bag of FIGS. 1 and 2 in open position relative to both the bag and the handle, the side carrying the handle the same side as that illustrated in FIG. 1.

For the purpose of precise location of application of the handle in the description, the conventional satchel type bag will be described first in some detail. it should be understood that this bag, per se, is conventional to the art and does not comprise alone a portion of the instant invention, except as it comprises the environment or context for the invention, in combination.

Referring then to the figures, this satchel-type bag has a handle side ltl, normally fiat and unfolded in either open or shut condition, opposed by a nonhandled side 11 normally in the same condition. These two sides and 11 connected at their normally vertical edges, at least vertical in operation, to panel walls 12 and 13, which each have a vertical fold line 12a an 13a running centrally vertically thereof and joining a pair of inwardly angled fold lines 12b and 12c in the case of panel 12 and 13b and 130 (not seen) in the case of panel 13. In closed position, as seen in FIGS. 14, inclusive, panels 12 and 13 collapse upon themselves whereby to provide a foldup flat bottom panel generally designated 14. The bag itself is formedfrom a single sheet of formed paper having a vertical seam defined by the longitudinal edges of the sheet of paper, the seam indicated at 15. The cutting configuration and fold and gluing configuration of the bottom of the bag will not be described in detail as it is conventional. Sufiice it to say that a closed bottom is provided by folding over and gluing of the continuations of the side walls of the sheet making up the bag.

Turning to the handle construction which is applied to the side panel ill to accomplish the desired results of the instant invention, the handle construction includes an elongate cardboard or plastic plate or plaque 15 which is glued flat as at 17 centrally of the panel iii A pair of C-wing arms 18 and 19 may be precut or preformed from the original material making the handle blank whereby to be movable irom the flat position against the panel 10 seen in FIG. 1 to the operating position at substantial right angles thereto shown in vFIG. 5. This is a butterfly type' or wing type handle. An upper reinforcing strip 20, preferably of a width at least substantially that of the original cardboard sheet or plastic sheet from which the handle assembly was formed is glued as at 21 closely adjacent the upper edge 1% of panel f ll. it is eminently desirable that the total width of the handle blank as exemplified in the total width of the strip very closely approach the total width of the panel it and, likewise, that the total height of the same closely approximate the total height of the panel 31% also, when the latter is in the open position as in HG. 5. The purpose of this is to provide the maximum vertical and lateral stiifening by the heavier handle material relative to the bag material. A like lower reinforcing strip Ziia is provided adjacent the lower edge 1% of panel in.

it is contemplated that and preferred that a reinforcing cardboard plaque, plate or sheet 23 or plastic same be glued to the opposite panel ll of the bag, the panel or sheet 23 optimally closely approximating the total area of the panel 11 (down to the bottom 1 fold line) whereby to give the maxirnum reinforcement thereto. In this manner, two substantiallyrigid sides are presented whereby to give sufficient rigidity to the bag to permit it to stand by itself. Rigidifying panel strips of cardboard or plastic or the like may be glued to each side of panel 12 or $3, on the two sides of the fold line 12a to rigidify these, as well. However, the height of these panels must be less than the distance from the apex of fold lines 12b and 12c to the top of the bag and the width slightly less than the width of the panel sides from the fold line 12a out to the edges of the panel 12, for example. A rigiditying plaque or plate may also be applied to the bottom of the satchel-type bag, but this is not generally necessary as the bag lower end is layered centrally thereof due to the fold over and gluing in the conventional bag.

it should be understood that other types of handles, such as a simple loop type handle mounted on a fiat plaque of the type 23 may be provided, although this is not as advantageous due to the fact that it will not lie as fiat when not in use. The material of tne bag itself must be of liquid-proof material such as plastic or waterproof paper, which will instill a certain amount of rigidity in itself, as opposed to the conventional rather limp paper sack. If plastic or lfoil lining is added, additionally, then lesser rigidifying means of the type described and shown in the drawings need be added.

In assembly and production of the bag, the handle assembly or plaque 15, etc. and the opposite reinforcing sheet 23, as well as a reinforcing plate on the bottom of the'bag may be applied without expanding the bag in the manufacturing operation. Other additions to the foldable side panels 12 and 113 require expansion of the bag in the manufacturing and assembling process, which is not desirable.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the struc cure.

it will be understood that certain features and sub combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claim.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the in vention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

In a foldable bag which has at least two opposed, fiat, equally shaped and sized and normally uncreased sides present both in use and storage, said sides connected at their edges to one another by a pair of creased panels which open by separation of the two said sides relative to one another to provide therebetween a fiilable volume, the improvements which comprise the bag formed of liquid-resistant material at least on its inside surface, a gripping handle fixed to one of said normally uncreased sides, said handle of the butterfly type with two wing grips which normally lie flat when not in use against the side of the bag, the portion of said butterilytype handle not comprising said two wing grips comprising a reinforcing sheet fixed to the said handle carrying side of the bag and of an area, including-said two wing grips, substantially that of the said side carrying said handle and a reinforcing sheet fixed to the side of the bag opposite that carrying the handle, the area of said reinforcing sheet on the side of the bag opposite that carrying the handle substantially that of the area of said side carrying same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,434,359 Alland Nov. 7, 1922 2,751,140 Brady a June 19, 1956 2,775,332 'Kayat Dec. 25, 1956 3,093,678 Chase Oct. 10, 1961 p 1 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 891,360 Germany T Jan. 4, i951 

